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2024 Fly Casting Education Program (FCEP) Awards

2024 Fly Casting Education Program (FCEP) Awards

It is our distinct pleasure to inform you of the Fly Casting Education Program (FCEP) Awards for 2024! These are summarized below. Nominations were made and carefully considered by the FCEP Awards and Leadership Teams. These names will soon be posted on the FFI website. Detailed descriptions of each of these awards are available here: Casting Awards. If you know  these people, please thank and congratulate them. 


FCEP Leadership Team Recognition Award (formerly Governor’s Pin): This award is given in recognition of an individual’s or group’s vision, steadfastness, initiative, creativity, and ability to inspire those being led toward a goal. This may be through administration, committee involvement or program implementation. The award is decided by vote of FCEP Leadership Team members. There are eight recipients:

  • The CICP Definitions Team – For their steadfast efforts reviewing and revising all fly casting definitions, thus bringing clarity and consistency to our international organization. Members include Bryan Martin MCI THMCI, Bruce Williams MCI THMCI, Sekhar Bahadur MCI THMCI, Mac Brown MCI, Bob Young MCI, Mark Huber MCI THMCI 
  • The FCEP Continuing Education Team - In recognition of their efficient, cooperative approach to discussing, researching and recruiting speakers for monthly Continuing Education Presentations. Members include Carol Northcut CI, Thatcher Beaty CI, Lyall Crawford CI, Jim Vota CI, Dave Cleaves MCI, Neal Hoffberg CI, Marty McVey CI, Trisha Campbell CI
  • Chuck Iossi CI – For stepping up into a leadership role with a vision for the Marketing and Communications Team and development of marketing and communication methods. 
  • Steve Jones: For his vision to reach out to all the 20 Washington Affiliated Clubs and build excitement and support for the Fly Casting Skills Development Rollout in multiple events.  He is president of Washington State Council (900+ members) since October of 2020. 
  • Andy Manley CI – For his thorough, patient and persistent work on the CI/THCI Roadmap as a leader of the Casting Instructor Development Team. 
  • Tom Rosenow - For his steady work, enthusiasm and the contribution of his information technology expertise to the FCEP Website Team.
  • Don Simonson MCI – For his thorough, patient, and persistent work on the Casting Instructor Development Team Roadmap and Mentor development.
  • Bintoro Tedjosiswoyo CI THMCI – For his excellent work on graphics for our publications, especially the recent revised Definitions document and layout and design work in the Loop.
  • Scott Zarenchansky CI - For his steady work, enthusiasm and the contribution of his website design expertise to the FCEP Website Team.

Fly Casting Education Program Recognition Award (formerly CICP Instruction Recognition Award): This award is presented to a certified instructor who has contributed significantly to the FCEP community through their unselfish devotion and passion to help individuals and groups learn to enjoy the sport of fly fishing.  Contributions may include teaching involvement with the FFI’s Learning Center in such areas like Fly Casting Skills Development; teaching and working with Veteran groups, Women or youth groups, First Responder groups, and/or Special Needs groups; the development of unique teaching programs; or their involvement with FFI Councils, clubs or regional casting programs. There are two recipients:

  • Rene Hesse CI: For his long-standing commitment to providing individual and group instruction, and contributing articles to local publications for Clubs and Councils.
  • Louis Lortie CI: For his long standing, selfless commitment to instruction and organizing instructor gatherings, including helping organize CICP Exam Events in Eastern Canada.

Casting Instructor Certification Program Mentoring Award: The CICP Mentoring Award is awarded to a FFI Certified Instructor(s) for long and continued support of the CICP through mentoring.  Mentoring involves assisting and preparing Certification Candidates toward FFI instructor certifications (CI, MCI, THCI, THMCI) through casting and teaching tuition sessions (individual or group) to further improve candidates’ casting knowledge and skills. Instruction may be virtual, in person, or both. Mentoring also includes sharing knowledge voluntarily with individuals, groups, or clubs to improve members’ casting skills. There is one recipient:

  • Marco Borretti MCI: Marco is a pillar of the FFI Casting Community in Italy. He has served as an instructor, mentor and examiner for years in Italy and throughout Europe. He carried on with his dedicated work for the organization through both good and difficult times. His candidates have all benefited greatly.  

Floyd Franke Award For Contributions to the FCEP: This award recognizes significant contributions to processes and organizational components of the FCEP, and it has roots in the Casting Board of Governors (CBOG) and the Casting Instructor Certification Program. In 2024 it was adopted for the entire Fly Casting Education Program. Floyd Franke advanced the mission of the CICP on several levels through his contributions as a Governor and later as the Chairperson of the CBOG. Floyd had vision, proposed practical solutions to real problems, and implemented those solutions.  Floyd looked for people who got things done without considering name recognition or celebrity status. He had a major role in making the CICP a respected and valued component of FFI worldwide.

  • Tomonori “Bill” Higashi MCI THMCI: Bill has been and continues to be the sole Japanese translator of CICP exams and other documents in his native Japan. He also works as a translator at test sites for examiners and candidates. As an Exam Event Coordinator, he has been responsible for scheduling hundreds of exams since 2008, 150 of which have been successful. 

FFI Mel Krieger Fly Casting Instructor Award: This award, honoring Mel Krieger, a well-known figure in the instruction of fly casting and author of the original Fly Fishers International Casting Instructor Certification Program, is presented in recognition of those who have dedicated themselves to fly casting instruction, have shared their knowledge with others, and made significant contributions to the FFI Casting Instructor Certification Program and the FFI Fly Casting Education Program.  In 2019, this award was elevated to be presented by the FFI Board of Directors, upon recommendation by the Casting Board of Governors and since 2024 the Fly Casting Education Program.

  • Ray Bianco MCI THMCI: For decades, Ray has been instructing and mentoring students and candidates for his local club and the Long Beach Casting Club. He embodies the enthusiasm and skill of teachers like Mel Krieger, who inspire as well as instruct. He is selfless and is always ready to help any student at any level. 
  • Maximo “Max” Malli: For more than a decade, Max has been the point of reference for Two Hand Casting in Italy. He recently mentored 5 candidates, all of whom passed their two-hand exam. He also provides many learning opportunities to two handers in Italy with in- person multi-level Spey Casting classes as well as a YouTube page with multiple instructional videos. 

FFI Lifetime Achievement in Fly Casting Education Award: This award is presented to individuals who have made significant, long-term contributions to fly casting education.  Contributions may include teaching, innovation in fly casting techniques, writing, motivation and sharing their knowledge of teaching to advance the goals of the Fly Casting Education Program. In 2019, this award was elevated to be presented by the FFI Board of Directors, upon recommendation by the Casting Board of Governors and since 2024 the Fly Casting Education Program.

  • Todd Somsel MCI THMCI: Todd is described as “an extraordinary teacher, coach and mentor.” He has been fly fishing since he was 8 years old, and an FFI member for over 25 years. His knowledge, both single and two hand, of casting mechanics, rods, lines and leaders is superb. He recently designed and marketed a new Scandinavian style two hand line to rave reviews. His description of what it took to design prototypes by splicing lines together is fascinating! He has served in multiple capacities on the Casting Board of Governors, still participates on the Exams Team and as a Single and Two Hand Examiner. Nearly every Saturday, he can be found in his “office”—teaching casting on the river. FFI and the Fly Casting Education Program are fortunate that Todd has shared his lifetime achievements with us! 
  • Brian Henderson MCI THMCI: “Brian’s ability to encourage and pass on to other casters at all levels continues to grow and enhance the sport of fly fishing and casting throughout Southeast Asia.” Mention Australia to anyone that has been in CICP for a while and the name Brian Henderson always comes up. He was inspired to fly fish and instruct by Mel Krieger and Joan Wulff and received more local tutelage from Carl McNeil MCI and Peter Hayes MCI. Over his decades of travel, guiding and teaching, he has demonstrated selfless dedication to FFI and its casting programs. The present Fly Casting Skills Development program bears strong and beneficial influence from his teaching wisdom. He was recently instrumental in developing the Fly Casting Education Program and prior to that served on many committees to help steer the program. Our presence in Australia and Southeast Asia has everything to do with the efforts of Brian and his supportive wife, Anne.